It's a big week for Jennifer Lopez and her family: her kids, twins Maximilian David and Emme Maribel, are officially 16 years old, if you can believe it.
The twins, who were born in 2008 and who the "This Is Me… Now" singer shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony, are celebrating the milestone birthday on February 22.
The Hustlers actress and her El Cantante co-star were married from 2004 to 2014. The "Vivir Mi Vida" singer is also a father to five other children, Arianna, 29, Chase, 28, Cristian, 23, Ryan, 20, and Marc Anthony Jr., born in June of 2023.
Jennifer first announced she was expecting during a concert in Miami in November of 2007, which was part of a joint tour with her then-husband.
It was the last night of the tour, and at the time she said: "This is a special time in our lives… And we waited until the last show to tell you," after which Marc jokingly told the crowd: "I didn't know she was going to talk."
Max and Emme were born three months later, just after midnight, at North Shore Hospital in Long Island, New York. The doting mom introduced her twins to the world later in March, when they made their magazine debut on the cover of People.
© GettyPeople editor Peter Castro said at the time: "She described it as the most magical time of her life. She said, 'You know what, you can win an Oscar, you can win a Golden Globe, and you know as an ambitious artist you strive for those things but when you have a kid, all of that is irrelevant.'"
MORE: Jennifer Lopez texts twins Emme and Max minutes before live TV appearance
Though her twins did make their magazine debut as newborns, JLo has since then always prioritized Max and Emme's privacy, save for a few sweet moments in the spotlight through the years.
Emme, who prefers to use gender neutral pronouns, has previously expressed an interest in following in their mom's footsteps. They made a splash when they joined her on stage for the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2020, and their mom has been outspoken about supporting their musical endeavors.
MORE: Jennifer Lopez exudes fierce energy in plunging jumpsuit and mega fur coat
© GettyOf the two, Max keeps a lower profile, but has had a huge impact on his mom's worldview. After George Floyd was murdered in May 2020 by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, Max encouraged his mom to use her platform and voice for good.
MORE: Jennifer Lopez recalls cancelling wedding to Ben Affleck: 'I didn't think we were going to make it'
© GettyShe shared with Elle in 2021: "He wanted me to make sure I realized that I had power and that I should use it, and I thought that was very insightful," and recalled: "It was one of those parenting moments when you're like, 'Oh, maybe I'm raising a conscientious, kind, loving kid here.'"
The three, along with JLo's then-fiancé Alex Rodríguez, attended a march in Floyd's honor in Los Angeles, and carried signs that read "Black Lives Matter" as well as "Let's Get Loud For Black Lives Matter," referencing her hit 1999 song.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
